4423e - 2009 44c Kelp Forest: Rockfish and White Spotted Rose Anemone - Mystic Stamp Company

$ 3.00

4.6 (485) In stock

Buying and Selling U.S. and worldwide postage stamps for stamp collectors.
Kelp%20Forest%20%26ndash%3B%20%0AWhite-spotted%20Rose%20Anemone%0ANature%20of%20America%0A%0A%0AIssue%20Date%3A%20October%201%2C%202009%0ACity%3A%20Monterey%2C%20CA%0AWith%20its%20brightly%20colored%20body%20and%20petal-like%20tentacles%20the%20white-spotted%20rose%20anemone%20looks%20like%20a%20flower%2C%20but%20it%20is%20actually%20a%20predatory%20animal.%26nbsp%3B%20Attached%20to%20the%20sea%20floor%20by%20its%20adhesive%20foot%2C%20the%20anemone%20uses%20its%20stinging%20tentacles%20to%20throw%20barbed%20and%20poisoned%20hooks%20into%20small%20prey%20such%20as%20fish%20and%20sea%20stars.%26nbsp%3B%20Then%20the%20anemone%20grasps%20the%20paralyzed%20prey%2C%20pulls%20it%20to%20its%20mouth%2C%20and%20swallows%20the%20prey%20whole.%0AThe%20poison%20tentacles%20have%20led%20to%20an%20interesting%20partnership%20between%20the%20white-spotted%20rose%20anemone%20and%20the%20painted%20greenling.%26nbsp%3B%20The%20small%20fish%2C%20which%20are%20immune%20from%20the%20tentacles%26rsquo%3B%20poison%2C%20clean%20parasites%20off%20the%20anemone.%26nbsp%3B%20In%20exchange%2C%20the%20anemones%20use%20their%20tentacles%20to%20protect%20the%20greenling%20from%20predators.%26nbsp%3B%20This%20mutually%20beneficial%20relationship%20protects%20the%20health%20of%20both%20sea%20creatures.%0AThe%20anemone%20body%20is%20rather%20simple.%26nbsp%3B%20Its%20central%20gut%20serves%20as%20stomach%2C%20intestine%2C%20and%20circulatory%20system.%26nbsp%3B%20Yet%20the%20rose%20anemone%20has%20evolved%20a%20complex%20process%20for%20reproduction.%26nbsp%3B%20The%20white-spotted%20rose%20anemone%20has%20separate%20sexes%20and%20reproduces%20by%20the%20male%20fertilizing%20the%20female%26rsquo%3Bs%20eggs.%26nbsp%3B%20It%20can%20also%20reproduce%20asexually%20by%20tearing%20itself%20apart%20into%20two%20halves.%26nbsp%3B%20Each%20half%20is%20an%20identical%20genetic%20clone%20of%20the%20other.